


blue swirls in the sea

by vanosian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, but they aren't soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28448844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanosian/pseuds/vanosian
Summary: Soulmate AUThey love each other but they aren’t soulmates.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Kudos: 53





	blue swirls in the sea

“Catra.”, Adora said gently. “It’s gonna be okay. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. _You don’t have to be someone’s soulmate for them to love you.”_

“How can you think so?”, Catra asked sadly. Her eyes were downcast. “Isn’t your soulmate the person you’re meant to be with.”

“That’s not true.”, Adora said carefully. “Not exactly. You can have multiple soulmates. You can also have none. You know there are always exceptions.”

“And exactly what kind of lives do these exceptions lead Adora??!”, Catra replied sharply, a sudden rage coursing through her veins. “They live all their lives knowing something is missing.“ 

Hurt momentarily flashed across Adora’s face, gone as swiftly as it had appeared. She slid her arm along Catra’s back, hesitant as if expecting opposition. Catra almost laughed bitterly. Adora had no idea how much Catra craved the easy physical affection she gave her. 

_"I don’t know how to explain this to you. But… I don’t think the universe ever takes away our right to decide what we want. When two people feel that warmth from their soul marks because they are soulmates, I think it’s the universe anticipating what they want. And giving the two people a chance. A chance to make each other happy. Sometimes it just doesn’t anticipate our desire for someone, and we are left to make our own choice. That’s what it means I think… when you don’t have a soulmark. Or you aren’t your soulmate’s soulmate. It doesn’t mean you two can’t be with each other. Just that it’s up to you to figure out if you can.”_

When Adora looked at Catra again, she was taken by surprise at the expression of complete awe across her face. 

“What?”, Adora asked. Her face felt hot. 

Catra took hold of her hand. “That was beautiful." 

"Yeah well it’s just what I think.”, Adora murmured. 

They sat in a comfortable silence, happy in just each other’s company. Catra cleared her throat, feeling nervous but hopeful. 

“Can I ask you something?”

Adora looked at her in confusion, but nodded all the same. “Sure.”

“It’s a bit personal…”, Catra said quickly. “You don’t have to answer it.”

Adora rolled her eyes. “Go on.”

Catra took a deep breath before directly looking into Adora’s eyes.

“Do you have a soulmate?”

She knew instantly that it had been a bad idea. Adora’s face went from amused to guarded in no time; her fists were clenched.

“I’m sorry.”, she mumbled. “That was out of line. It’s not in my place to-”

“It’s okay.”, Adora interrupted her. Her face looked less stormy than it had before. 

Catra waited, watching the way Adora cracked her knuckles before she finally spoke. 

“I do.”, Adora said tiredly. 

Catra instantly knew that she was approaching a sensitive subject. She wondered if things between Adora and her soulmate had never worked out. Or whether they had never met and Adora had gotten tired of waiting. She was increasingly more aware of how she wasn’t Adora’s soulmate, because she had seen how Adora’s mark had never glimmered even once. Even when she had touched it for the first time. 

Adora gathered her thoughts and continued. “Her soulmate is someone else though. And she is that person’s soulmate too. They are happy together." 

Catra’s jaw went slack. Of all the outcomes she had expected, it had never been this one. 

_Adora was in a half-bond too._

"I never told her about it.”, Adora said, her voice blank. “It was hard, being in love with her knowing she couldn’t be with me.”

Adora’s shoulders were tense, her gaze resolute and hard as she looked at the wall opposite them. 

Catra felt the overwhelming urge to pull Adora into a hug. Somewhere through the quiet, she found her voice and instead whispered softly. 

_“Have you loved anyone since? Someone who isn’t your soulmate.”_

She could feel her heart beat faster, the steady pounding crowding her senses. It thundered against her chest harshly, making it harder to breathe. 

Adora turned towards her, her gaze soft and intense and so very overwhelming.

_“I think I have.”, she whispered back._

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago and posted it on my tumblr @vanosian. Posting it here now cause I felt like it. Most of the time, Soulmate AUs are about people who are each other's soulmates. But what happens when that isn't the case? I have always found that idea interesting. Thank you for reading!


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